Benicia using public art to raise environmental awareness

BENICIA -- City leaders have approved a $30,000 public art piece for the Benicia Community Center as part of a package of "green" projects.

The piece will be comprised of recycled glass and metal and will be accompanied by a permanent interactive component, according to the city's arts and culture commission.

"This piece is an art piece that speaks to the heart and soul of what we want to do" to promote environmental awareness, arts and culture commission member Patty Gavin told the City Council on Tuesday. "... It will resonate for many years."

The commission selected the LEED-certified community center at 370 E. L St. as the site of the future installation because of the building's environmental integrity. The center's capacity to reach citizens of all ages was also cited.

According to the project proposal, the installation will be 22 feet long and 6 feet high on a wall near the center's reception area.

The project is a collaboration between the city, the arts commission, the Benicia Historical Museum and six internationally or nationally known local artists. The artists will include Micheal, Nicholas and David Nourot, Mike Kendall, David Nourot and Brian Giambastiani.

Larry Lauber, an electrical engineer from the historical museum, will design and implement audio capabilities for interactive listening.

Commissioners say administrators and teachers in schools throughout Benicia will be notified about opportunities for "eco-sustainability" learning when planning field trips to the center to view and experience the piece.

The final art rendering design still must be recommended by the arts and culture commission to the council.

"For $30,000 ... this is something that will be permanent and will be a treasure for Benicia," said Constance Beutel, vice chair of the Community Sustainability Commission.

The project will be funded with cash from a settlement agreement between the Valero refinery, the city and a community group, the Good Neighbor Steering Committee.

Councilman Tom Campbell wasn't convinced that public art would further the city's climate action goals. However, he agreed to support the project "because everyone else is."

"I hope it winds up being really pretty, and I look at it and claim I was all in favor of it," Campbell said.

The council approved the art project Tuesday as part of a package allocating roughly $467,000 of the funding to various environmental projects. Councilman Alan Schwartzman said he supported the public art component, but voted against the package for other reasons. Schwartzman said he opposed the amount of funding earmarked for salaries in grants to the Benicia Tree Foundation and Arts Benicia.

The council also agreed to spend $300,000 this year, and $205,000 in 2014, on a program to help Benicia Industrial Park businesses save money through energy and water conservation.